Captain Cerrone was a veteran of World War II. During the Korean War, he was a pilot-instructor recently assigned to the U.S. Naval Base, Norfolk, Virginia, as a liaison officer. On 28 September 1952, he was returning to Norfolk from Albany, New York, when his fighter crashed about two miles north of Rexford, New York.

Cerrone was awarded the National Defense Service Medal and the World War II Victory Medal.